Automatically stepped pocket punch



a v II/llllllllllllllrlll v 2 Sheets-Sheet l n ma HE mw /Jwv @M 7 M J. KERTES AUTOMATICALLY STEPPED POCKET PUNCH Oct. 13, 1953 Filed Aug.- 18, 1947 Oct. 13, 1953 J. KERTES 2,655,215

AUTOMATICALLY STEPPED POCKET PUNCH Filed Aug. 18, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M warn a Patented Oct. 13, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATICALLY STEPPED POCKET PUNCH John .lie tes. P b rg a. pp'licatien August 18, 1947, Serial No. 769,127

46 claims. (01. re ress.)

invention relates to punching apparatus usable as a check protector, or protective check writer.

One object of the invention is to provide a check protector, or writer, which is accurate in its punching operation and in the alignment of its punching, which is simple and easy to operate, and which is of such simple and compact construction that it is particularly suitable 'for individual ownership and use throughout any of the variations in size and adaptation of which it is susceptible.

Another object of the invention is to provide a check protector, or writer, which provides means f a i n ng a check in os t t r eiv a ser es P Q '%1'- d igi s and symb s, and whi h p ovides in conjoint assemb m ans ,ior e t ng, pos t o and a i nin di ts or symbols, and fo mo in a check thr ug ap ro riat v s aced intervals to receive such perforations.

An th r objec of the nvent on is t p ovide a check protector, or writer, having the abovenoted desirable properties, which is so small and compact that it conveniently can be carried in a pocket or purse.

Another object of the invention is to provide a check protector, or writer, including automatic means for moving a check therethrough ,at ap pr priatelv spa ed i t rval .Still another object of the invention is to prO- vide punching apparatu of the .above-rnoted sim: pl compact and a il p able sort, which wh le p ma ily inten ed v or the pr te t w ting of hecks apable o being used. or o 9b i us modificat on f or use, in unching da s an il o her pun hin one ii es- Fig. "V'I is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional detail view through the punching wheel showing the guiding element for the-punching wheel in plan and in the same relative position as in Fig. II.

Fig. VI'I is a front elevation of the structure shown in Fig. VI.

Fig. VIII is a bottom plan view, showing the true "bottom wall of the casing, certain of the lower parts of the protector being removed.

Fig. IX is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the lost motion connection between the pawl and the operating arm.

Fig. X is a View similar to 'Fig. V illustrating a modification of the check moving structure.

The punching assembly'of the apparatus oomprises a punching wheel carrying peripherally thereof punching characters which is mounted for vertical movement in the casing, means for rotating the punching wheel to bring a selected character on the wheel into punching position, operable means for moving the punching Wheel in the punching action, resilient means arranged yieldingly to oppose movement of the punching wheel in its punching action and means for guiding the'travel of the punching'wheel in its punching movement. Desirably and as herein disclosed, the punching assembly comprises also means for indicating to a user the adjustment of the punching wheel, and the resilient means 3, acts to return the punching wheel from the limit In h accompan n dra. nesxemplary 4 an em od men f my in ntion n igl s an e evationa e of my che k. prot e er o Writ r i lust at ng erta n o the parts in operati g Pos tion and a protectin closure c i or uard pr ided or he l wer por ion o the check prote t ennot in u e.

Fie- II is an elevai of he c eck prot ctor with o e ide th reoi and the clip remov d t xpo e th op ra in e ement Wit in the as n said p rt being shown n'inqp rat ve position.

Fig, I Ilj an enlarged cross-sectional view taken in the plane of the section line III-III of Fi Fig. IV is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken in the plane or the section line of Fig.1. 7

Fig. is an enlarged fragmentary detail view illustrating the check moving rollers and associ: ated ratchet mechanism in side elevation.-

of its printing movement to its adjusting position.

This assembly I further have organized in such way that the several necessary or desirable functions are performed positively and with a high order of accuracy by elements which are so formed and inter-engaged that the overall dimensions of the assembly are reduced to a minimum. In the illustrated embodiment of my invention the punching elements of the assembly are characters formed by spaced groups'of perforating pins on the periphery of the punching wheel. 7

In combination with the punching assembly, I have further provided a mean for automatically moving the check, or other piece of paper, to accurately space the punching of the individual characters, said means being operated by the means for moving the punching wheel in-the punching operation; Additionally, or alterna-' tively, manual means for'moving the check, or

other piece of paper, to properly space the punch ing of the individual characters may be provided.

Specifically as shown in the accompanying drawings, the reference numeral 1 indicates the main body of the casing which may be formed at metal, plastic, or any other suitable material. As shown. the smallest dimension of the casing is its transverse dimension, closely to embrace the punching wheel of the assembly and to economize in the overall dimensions of the device. In both side walls id of the casing there are vertically elongate slots 2 through which project trunnions 3 centrally integrated with punching wheel 4. These trunnions 3 which project through the slots 2 in the casing side walls pass also through holes 5 in arms 8 mounted for reciprocation in suitable recesses l in the side walls la. Trunnions 3 may be integrated with wheel 4 in any suitable manner as by being the terminals of a shaft keyed in the wheel or by being cast or pressed of one piece with the wheel.

An operating element or arm 8 is pivotally connected or hinged to the upper forward edge portions of the side walls la as by means of a pin 9. The arm 8 extends substantially the entire length of'the casing l and is of a width substantially equal to the spacing of the side walls la, whereby it provides a closure, or partial closure or top wall of the casing.

The arms 6 which produce longitudinal move ment of the punching wheel 4 are pivotally connected to the arm 8 as by means of a pin it at a point rather closely adjacent the pivot pin 9 of the arm 8. This causes the distal or free end of the arm 8 to have a relatively great movement with respect to the movement of the punching wheel 4.

The rearward wall lb of the casing is preferably, but not necessarily, a block-like element having in general a thickness equal to the space between the side walls to and extending forwardly to a position adjacent the punching wheel 4. The upper end of the wall lb terminates at a point below the upper edges of the side walls la and functions as a stop to limit the downward movement of the operating arm a between the said side walls, and as a socket for receiving the operating arm in nested position.

A recess ii is provided in the top to of the rear wall lb and suitably mounted in said recess is a conical coil spring (2 which is also connected to the arm 8 in any suitable manner.

In the punching action, pressure is exerted on operating element 8 to move it downwardly against the resistance of spring i2. In this downward movement the operating element by on gagement of the arms 6 with the trunnions 3 of the punching wheel carries the punching wheel downwardly, this movement being permitted by the elongate form of the slots 2 through which the trunnions project. The return movement is eifected under the influence of spring 12 hearing upwardly against the operating element 8.

In its structure punching wheel 4 may be made in any suitable manner and constructed of any suitable material, but as shown, is of solid construction such as results from the casting or pressing of aluminum or other suitable relatively light metal, metallic alloy or plastic. Along one peripheral edge, punching wheel l is beveled to provide a shoulder l3 having therein relatively shallow notches Hi. Aligned with notches M, the adjacent side face of the wheel has therein radial slots l which extend to the peripheral face of the wheel and serve as guide slots for the punching movement in the manner which will be described. V

On the periphery of the punching wheel and appropriately positioned thereon with respect to guide slots 15 there are a'plurality of groups it of perforating pins, the pins of each group being arranged to form a digit, letter or symbol. The punching movement and return movement of wheel 4 are guided by means of an L-shaped resilient guide member H, which is secured to the inner surface of the adjacent side wall Id of the casing. The angularly extended leg, or flange, Ila of this fiat resilient element rides on the shoulder 13 of the punching wheel when the wheel is in its upward or adjusting position and successively and yieldin ly engages notches i in the shoulder of the wheel when the wheel is rotated. When rotation of the wheel ceases with the angular leg or flange lid in one of the notches M, the wheel is directed upwardly or downwardly in a straight line by engagement of this leg, or flange, in the slot 15 of the wheel which is aligns: with that notch.

It will be noted in Figs. I, III and VIII of the drawings that a disc 13 is applied to one of the trunnions 3 of the punching wheel and this disc, which serves as an indicator as well as means for rotating the punching wheel, carries both on its face and on its periphery a plurality of characters which may be digits, symbols or letters. Disc 18 is rigid with wheel 4, and the characters appearing on its face are so arranged with respect to the groups 16 of the pins on the periphery of the punching wheel that when one of those characters is in an indicated position, the corresponding group of pins for punching that character is in position to be effectively registered upon downward punching movement of wheel 4. In making the adjustment, disc 18 is rotated, rotating the punching wheel and this rotation from character to character is indicated as audible clicks and by yielding resistance to rotation, as guiding flange Ila of guide member ll enters successive notches M of the wheel. When disc 58 indicates that the proper character is presented for registry, downward pressur on oper ating element 8 performs the punching operation; the wheel being guided in its downward movement, as above described, by engagement of guide flange lid in the appropriate slot iii of the punching wheel.

As shown in Fig. VIII of the drawings, the bottom wall id of the casing has a perforate grid IS, the holes 20 through which are so arranged as to permit the passage of the pins of all the several groups l6 carried on the periphery of the punching wheel, so that the pins projected through grid [9 can perforate a sheet of paper or the like which is presented for punching.

A downwardly directed, channel-retaining plate 2| is secured at one of its ends in any suitable manner to a lower face le of a portion of the rearward wall lb which depends slightly below the bottom wall Id of the casing as illustrated in Fig. V. The other end of the retaining plate is free so that a piece of paper such as a check may be slipped between the retaining plate and the bottom wall of the casing. This retaining plate has therein a grid 22 the perforations of which register with the perforations of grid l9 formed in the bottom wall of the casing. In the punch ing operation the check, or other sheet of paper, lies between the bottom Id of the casing and the retaining plate 2|. The perforating pins therefore pass through the perforations of grid [9 of the casing and into the perforations in grid 22 of the retaining plate. When the pins are retracted, retaining plate 2i and its grid 22 counteract any tearing tendency which the pins otherwise might exert on the paper.

Retainin plate 2! serves to. position or other sheet of paper. to the mine at-ion. For ch ek writin however, other punchin operations it. is us mean which assist. the user in, aceurately ge ter mining the positioning oi a l ne or nnneliine which is to be made and i aeourately so oine the punchin oi the individual one ot rs finch adjusting means oonsists nrimarily o a pa r oi rollers, one of which is a live roller the other an idler rolle nd m ans to actuate the l roller in a step by step movement- Referring to Fi s- II, V and 1X, e on Justine means wi l. be seen to eoinpeise elon= sate. live roller 2 prefer bly made of ru ber, n sitioned below the toward lower edge po tion I! of the rear wall. b, said. f rward owered e nortion oi the ell bein suita ly sp ce a o e the bottom wall id of. the oasins- L lianed bra ket 24 is suitabl s our sl to the d e f ansi the dependi le .25 her oi pro d a b aring for one end of the sha 5 to. h ch t e roller- 23 is. rigid y secured in any desirable manner- The other end of shaft 2 is iourna l d in a ton ard edg n o he rear wa l v b- A so rigidl connected with the shaft 2 6 rearwardly of the roller 23, is a ratchet wheel 21, comprising teeth in this instance, in t e n ure o a hre lobed cam. A pawl 28 for actuating the ratchet wheel extends upwardly of the casing in a suitable reo ss provided n the Wall Id.-

As illustrated in Fig. IX, an upper end portion 30 of the pawl 28 is reduced in width to provide spaced shoulders 3| and 32 and this portion 30 of the pawl 28 is embraced by a short transmitting arm 3.3 pivotally connected to operating arm 8 as by means of a pin 34 extend ng through opening 35, The embrac ng o t n or saddle 6 of the trans itting arm. 3 s substantia ly shorter than the di nce between he shoul rs 31 nd a 32 on the pawl .28 t pro ide lost mot on o n- .neetion bet en the paw and t e operating e e= ment :8. This l st motion oon t on is sneli as to provide snfiioient lost otion th t t e ne io rating pins on the punching Whe l re d e gaged from the naper efore the awl 28 s ac uated to the ratchet wheel 1, and a. r sil ent brake, o

lock n element 3.1 mounted. on th in er Wel 29a of the ss 2 P even s re erse movement of the ratchet Wh el- The rol e 33 proj cts sl ght y bel w the l wer wall Id of the casing t ou a sui able op ning 38 to contact an elongate idler roller 3.3, prefer:- .ablv also of rubber, nroieetin upward th u h an op n ng 4 p o ded in t e reta ning i -late? The roller .39. r tatabl mounted on esilien brack members 4| se ed to the web Portion of an upward y di ected. han el membe 4, fric i nally received or otherwise suitably seouresji wi in the channel retaining pla e J As has been indicated a ov the reta ning plate and the onan el 4.3 wh ch it sllDPQrts a e supported in antilever :fashion, and henee it desirable to oreve t the aoeiden al placement thereof relative :to {the leasin or frillme of :the means attaehing the same tothe .1635: 15 "Qfibh resi ins. one to the i e end tnereei ensosine seine obieet ti oi no; n so To this itwill 1) ed in a d IVthaii the W h i es .l r. of the In .ttoin wail id. o tne e in is sl elltlzv ess than the o e all. vzisi li e oiand that ine a e, wh n he use byineans of a closure l p .01 5 he orm of an up.-

wardly directe .e11 member, the less 46 of which have tree ed e or ions 41 slidably received in the grooves 44. Also in in ctive condition oi the appa atus. ith op ratin arm 3 d n on into oontaot with upper su-riaoe 1c of wall structure 1b., a roup 6 of perforatiin pins proj cts throu h rid L9 and t nds to proje t also through matoliing grid .2 The provision of uard .45 thus serv s lso to protect those punching pins against injury when the device is carried in a noclset or purse,

Operating arm 8 prefer ly carri s a sliding latch 58 which serves. to en a h perat ng arm to a retai ng p te 48a between side wal s to of the casin a ainst the r sistance of spring 52 when the o ratin is in it n i nested position on the upp r s r ac o of al tru ture 11)- operatio t e uard .5 is m v d and assumi tha Hi a c ek. on Which the p nc ins operat on is o be p f rm d th c e is in erted r n vers ly between t e bottom al id f the ea n and the r ta ning plate 2 nd re- .oeiv i in al en agem t w th and t een tneli 1 n he sil en l m nnt t l r rol er 3.9- It i t It too by e e bo h rains? with respect to the and lons tn inally e anpar t i n t. he :ifiiis ene ote h on r the a ju tm nt is autoetets are sele d and on aim i is a uated o p n h h first s .e ted B the mo em t o nsertin ann i wnioli Pun hi m m nt of wheel 4 zeawl .38 is m ed do w r l in o a p s i n ehind on o he teeth o het wheel 31, on the upward movement thereof the pawl, the r per tim en a e re oh whe :tnerehy rota t e ive roller .2 t o the he k on stantially ra ht line, n step to the n t spaced anos t n- A t p ehe l; is m ed swe t ytep of sequential seleeted chars' will r-be se n that e e n rollers ass oiated op r n m a i e to predete mined i eo ns between the charaeters well as .nositioning of the line of punchins the pro e r ion of he c e Mo ifi ation in the m an for o ra in e live roller as is shown Big. X of the drawings. .,A.S.$l W,I. iIltll i modi c ion the shaft o enn- ,P rtine the rol er s exte e n i el h on li .tne we inland he en here f rigidly connected to o erable he l T u n a tion. t the au oma ic ean for operating e live rol1er2 3 ,.the wheel 49 may be turned manul a l l y to move the roller 23 and therefore the fil fiimii 9.1 other P ece of paper, to initially position v he same to pl-Wine 5101 131; or triple spacing of egs without removing the check from the ie ie l mo e the h k in h event the ratene ee a ne a di le l olnne also i and/ nesnnns :eresse i pawl 28 as a tooth on the ratchet wheel is passed thereby, will indicate each unit of spacing of the characters. All the elements of this modified structure except the shaft for the live roller and its associated wheel, may be and are to be considered as identical with corespcnding parts shown in Figs. I to IX, inclusive, of the drawings.

It thus readily will be understood that the illustration and description of the structure herein disclosed are exemplary of the embodiment of my invention and numerous modifications in the form and arrangement of parts being possible without departing from the spirit of that invention, my invention herein is to be restricted only by the limitations contained in the claims appended hereto.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 691,907, filed August 21, 1946, which has matured into Patent No. 2,464,815, granted March 22, 1949, and the device disclosed herein is in the nature of an improvement on the device disclosed in said copending application.

I claim as my invention:

1. Manually operable punching apparatus comprising in combination with a casing, a punching wheel mounted for adjusting rotation and straight-line punching movement in said casing, a wheel-actuating lever pivotally mounted in the forward region of said casing and extended rearwardly thereof acting to cause punching movement of said wheel under manual operation, a spring arranged in opposition to said wheel-actuating lever and exerting thereon a resilient force to retract said wheel, perforating pins mounted in groups forming punching characters peripherally of said wheel, matching grids at the base or said casing between which a worksheet to be punched lies and through which the said perforating pins pass; work-sheet-positioning means comprising a pair of work-sheetcontacting rollers between which the work-sheet is passed, a ratchet on one of said rollers, a oneway pawl yieldingly engaged with said ratchet extended toward and connected with said wheel-actuating lever, and a lost motion connection between said pawl and said wheel actuating lever adjacent the rearward end of said lever to provide lost motion at the beginning of the roller actuating stroke of said pawl, said lost motion connection thus acting to rotate said roller with time delay providing clearance of said perforating pins from a work-sheet in said grid during resilient retraction of said punching wheel and to shorten the stroke of said pawl in both directions of its movement with the said lever.

2. Manually operable punching apparatus comprising in combination with a casing, a punching wheel mounted for adjusting rotation and straight-line punching movement in said casing, a wheel-actuating lever pivotally mounted in the forward region of said casing and extended rearwardly thereof acting to cause punching movement of said wheel under manual operation, a spring arranged in opposition to said wheel-actuating lever and exerting thereon a resilient force to retract said wheel; sheet-positioning means comprising a pair of sheet-contacting rollers between which the work-sheet is passed, a ratchet on one of said rollers, an elongate one-way pawl yieldingly engaged with said ratchet and extended toward and connected with said wheel-actuating lever in a recess of said casing arranged rearwardly of said punching wheel, and a lost motion connection between said pawl and said wheelactuating lever adjacent the rearward end of said lever to provide lost motion at the beginning of the roller actuating stroke of said pawl, said lost motion connection thus acting to rotate said roller with time delay providing clearance of said perforating pins from a work-sheet acted on by said rollers during resilient retraction of said punching wheel and to shorten the stroke of the said pawl during both directions of its movement with the said lever.

3. Manually operable punching apparatus comprising in combination with a casing, a punching wheel mounted for adjusting rotation and straight-line punching movement in said casing, a wheel-actuating lever pivotally mounted in the forward region of said casing and extended rearwardly thereof acting to cause punching movement of said wheel under manual operation, a spring arranged in opposition to said wheel-actuating lever and exerting a resilient force to retract said wheel, perforating pins mounted in groups forming punching characters peripherally of said wheel, matching grids at the base of said casing between which a work-sheet to be punched lies and through which the said perforating pins pass; work-sheet-positioning means comprising a pair of work-sheet-contacting rollers between which the work-sheet is passed, a ratchet on one of said rollers, a one-way pawl yieldingly engaged with said ratchet and extended toward and connected with said wheel-actuating lever, said pawl being constructed to provide lost motion at the beginning or" the roller actuating stroke thereof and thus acting to rotate said roller with time delay providing clearance of said perforating pins from a work-sheet in said grid during resilient retraction of said punching wheel.

4. Manually operable punching apparatus comprising in combination with a casing, a punching wheel mounted for adjusting rotation and straight-line punching movement in said casing, a wheel-actuating lever pivotally mounted in the forward region of said casing and extended rearwardly thereof acting to cause punching movement of said Wheel under manual operation, a spring arranged in opposition to said wheel-actuating lever and exerting thereon a resilient force to retract said wheel; work-sheet-positioning mean comprising a pair of work-sheet-oontacting rollers between which the work-sheet is passed, a ratchet on one of said rollers, and an elongate one-way pawl yieldingly engaged with said ratchet and extended toward and connected with said wheel-actuating lever in a recess of said casing arranged rearwardly of said punching wheel, said pawl being constructed to provide lost motion at the beginning of the roller actuating stroke thereof and thus acting to rotate said roller with time delay providing clearance of said perforating pins from a work-sheet acted on by said rollers during resilient retraction of said punching Wheel.

5. In a manually operable punching apparatus the combination of a casing, a punching wheel, means mounting said wheel in said casing for adjusting rotation and for straight-line punching movement as a whole with respect to said casing, perforating pins forming punching characters fixed in groups on the periphery of said punching wheel, a face of said wheel being provided with guiding ways extended radially thereof in guiding relation to the said several groups of perforating pins a distance at least equal to the bodily straight-line punching movement of said wheel, a guiding element fixedly mounted on said casing in selective alignment with said guiding ways and arranged to enter and ride in said ways to guide and prevent rotation of said wheel during its straight-line punching movement, a perforated support associated with said casing and spaced below said pins and guiding element and adapted to receive said pins in their punching movement; work-sheet-positioning means comprising a pair of work-sheet-contacting rollers between which the work-sheet is passed, a ratchet on one of said rollers, and a one-way pawl yieldingly engaged with said ratchet and operatively connected with the said punching wheel to rotate said ratchet on retraction of the said punching wheel from punching position, said pawl being constructed to provide lost motion at the beginning of the roller actuating stroke thereof and thus acting to rotate said roller with time delay providing clearance of said perforated pins from a work-sheet in said perforated support punching movement of the wheel, resiilent means arranged yieldingly to oppose punching move- 10 ment of the wheel and to free the wheel of engagement with the said guiding element for adjusting rotation of the wheel; work-sheet-positioning means comprising a pair of work-sheetcontacting rollers between which the work-sheet is passed, a ratchet on one of the said rollers, and a one-way pawl yieldingly engaged with said ratchet and operatively connected with the said punching wheel to engage the ratchet and rotate the roller upon retraction of the punching wheel under the influence of the said resilient means, said pawl being constructed to provide lost motion at the beginning 01 the roller actuating stroke thereof and thus acting to rotate said roller with time delay providing clearance of said perforating pins from a work-sheet acted on by said rollers during resilient retraction oi. said punching wheel.

JOHN KERTES.

References Cited in the file 01 this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 105,052 Dopp July 5, 1870 113,863 Eggleston Apr. 18, 1871 413,575 Smith et a1. Oct. 22, 1889 447,089 Von Brandis Feb. 24, 1391 1,740,844 Strout Dec. 24, 1929 2,464,815 Kertes Mar. 22, 1949 

